H
1002 Words
Thomas Zhao finished his shift at precisely 6 p.m. on Sunday evening. 24 sleepless hours of hard and exhausting work. For a moment he felt useful and not immersed in the existential emptiness produced by hangovers between orgies and parties.
He decided to stay in the corridor sleeping on a mattress... 2 things... He saw a nurse who would come in for her shift at 12 o'clock at night... An excellent appetizer... And the r***d young woman... It would be what it would be... But never a***e a girl... He took care of her... And so he did, barely an hour of sleep after starting his rest.
He saw the tall, solid man standing in the middle of the hallway.
-- This is becoming a habit. Another one dressed as a dancer. I'll bet he's here to paraglide too," the young man said to himself.
-- I came to ask about a girl and she might be with a man with long hair in a ponytail," the man reported, giving Thomas the impression that he was extremely dangerous.
--Well, there are 350 girls working here. I don't know them all..... yet.
The man looked at him and gestured.
-- I have business to settle with them," the man reported.
-- Who are you and how did you get in? As far as I know this is not a supermarket.
-- I am General Hang Hing," he introduced himself.
Thomas could not contain himself and burst out laughing.
-- Another mental weakling, dressed as a clown," he thought amused.
The man in turn paid no more attention to him, and stared at the balcony at the end of the corridor.
Suddenly the young teenager woke up and saw the man standing in profile in front of the glass window separating the hallway from her room.
She began to scream hysterically and heartbreakingly, causing Thomas to rush to attend to her, but not before seeing how the man in an impulse ran to the balcony, jumping over the railing and from there to throw himself into the void.
-- Easy. You are safe... It's all right. It's all right," Thomas said, realizing that he could do nothing for the other man, who must have been lying on the floor in a heap.
The girl was screaming uncontrollably, hysterical, crying, sitting curled up on the bed. She brought in the doctor and other nurses.
-- What's going on here?
-- She woke up terrified," Thomas explained, not wanting to elaborate.
The doctor watched the security video, and the young woman's vital signs monitor.
A guard appeared.
-- An unauthorized entry was wandering the halls," he announced, "He spoke to several nurses and to you.
-- Yes," Thomas was forced to agree, "I was asking him what he was doing and he seemed disoriented.
-- It looks like he went to the balcony.
-- I really don't know. I went to support the patient.
The security video showed Thomas heading out to give his assistance; which cleared him of any eventuality or doubt.
-s-
Thomas found Ken Zhao in the dining room. It was a rare sight to see his father at home. Almost as rare as seeing him himself.
-- Hello Ken. Strange to see you here.
--Hi, son. I wanted to tell you something important.
-- You're getting remarried.
-- Son...uh...umg...things haven't worked out so well.
For a moment they were both silent.
-- The hedge funds, the panama papers, the pandora funds, the real estate bubble investments...
-- And that means?
-- It's all gone to hell. We're broke. Everything is gone. Even this house. The cars. I lost every penny.
-- !!!!KEN!!!!
-- I have to go to New York. There are friends there who will help me. Come with me.
-- I got business here.
-- Son. You understand. There's nothing. You may not have a place to sleep tonight.
-- Don't worry. It'll be all right.
A while later a tow truck was taking away the Rolls Royce, the Bentley, the Bugatti. And Thomas Zhao used the subway and the bus for the first time...
II
For some strange reason he felt emptied by the need to go to the hospital; for another strange reason he didn't feel the lack of going to any party, and in just hours the faces of his fellow partygoers were covered by a black curtain. He was more concerned about the young teenage girl who was in her assigned hallway room at the hospital.
He got his watch. He checked the life support equipment. He arranged an empty room. Reached the young woman... Beaten, black circles under her eyes. She was awake, locked in a huge silence.
-- Hello. My name is Thomas Zhao. He introduced himself, appealing to all her sympathy.
-- What was that man doing here?
-- That's a good question.
-- I swear I have to kill him. He outraged me repeatedly. He beat me," said the girl in a low voice and with uncontainable hatred.
-- You have some very interesting objects in your bag.
-- I don't know what you're talking about.
-- Your parents. Where are they? What's your name? You didn't give us any names.
-- I don't have a father.
-Okay. Your mother?.
-Neither.
-- Okay. Someone to go to.
-- I don't have one. My mother .... She was killed. She was 31 years old. She was a dancer.
-- I'm sorry. Your place?
-- I don't have one. I don't know where to go.
-- Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I promise. My name is Thomas Zhao.
-- I know. You want to use me too?
-- I swear to you by the most sacred thing that can exist that I will take care of you more than a father and mother. Trust me.
-- If I do. Swear to me that you'll help me find this man.
-- I swear to help you do justice...--- Thomas Zhao told him sincerely...
- Writer
